Pro Football Focus ranks Los Angeles Rams’ secondary No. 7 in NFL

With training camp beginning for a majority of NFL teams, the team over at Pro Football Focus has taken a stab at ranking every secondary in the league.

With the passing game as important as it’s ever been in the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams seeked to improve their secondary tenfold prior to the 2018 season. The plan included trades for star cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, re-signing nickel cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, as well as a franchise tag for safety Lamarcus Joyner. Fast forward one offseason — and after a season in which the secondary didn’t play as well as they’d hoped (injuries included) — and the Rams once again made an investment in their secondary: the signing of veteran safety Eric Weddle in free agency.

The secondary is now as complete as any unit in the league, and I’d be remiss not to mention arguably the best player in the unit: SS John Johnson III. Johnson has improved vastly thus far in every year of his short career, ultimately transforming into one of the best safeties in the league and one of the true playmakers on the defensive side of the ball for the Rams.

Taking all the additions into effect — as well as the potential for better (and healthier) seasons from the star-studded duo outside of the hashes at cornerback, the PFF team has ranked the Rams’ secondary as the seventh-best unit in the league.

Here’s the blurb:

7. Los Angeles Rams

CB Aqib Talib
CB Marcus Peters
CB Nickell Robey-Coleman
S Eric Weddle
S John Johnson III

There are two words that should give Rams fans everywhere reason to be optimistic: contract year. Marcus Peters was lit up for the majority of last season, giving up over 100 yards on four separate occasions. He’ll have to get back to his Kansas City form to earn a big-money second contract.

The extenuating factor is that Peters — and Talib — will be playing in contract years, with the two coming in at opposite ends of the spectrum. Peters will be looking to secure his first massive payday in the NFL, whereas Talib will look to potentially finish his career with a strong outing and another deep playoff run.

The talent will surely not be an issue when it comes to the Rams’ secondary in 2019. The key to performance will be determined by their ability to gel, as well as their ability to remain healthy as a unit.